Multiple-effect compressor



Dec. 1l, 1951 R. L.. JONES, JR 2,578,139

` MULTIPLE EFFECT COMPRESSOR Filed May 5, i947 2 SHEETS- SHEET 1 IN V EN TOR.

)Zaerf r/ozzes Jr. BY

Dec- 11, 1951 R.V L. JoNEs, JR 2,578,139

I MULTIPLE EFFECT COMPRESSOR Filed May 5, 1947 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 INVENTOR. Rolerf L. t75nes BY #mm mi #ma Patented Dec. l, 1951 man MULTIPLE-EFFECT COMPRESSOR Robert L. Jones, Jr., Dayton, Ohio, assigner to Chrysler Corporation, Highland corporation of Delaware Park, Mich., a

Application May 5, 1947, Serial No. 746,062

This invention relates to multiple effect refrigeration systems and more particularly to means for adapting a compressor to such systems and for pre-selecting the capacity of such compressor relative to each evaporator of the system.

The invention to be described herein is an improvement over the combination of compressor and liners described in copending application, Serial No. 733,703, filed April 1, 194'7, -by A. B. Newton, now abandoned. This improvement relates to means for adapting the combination described therein to multiple effect refrigeration systems. It is an object of the invention to predetermine the operating temperatures and pressures of evaporators in a multiple effect system by the selection of particular liners of a novel construction for association with the compressor.

` It is a further object of the invention to provide means associated with replaceable liners for pre-selecting the operative relation of individual cylinders of a multi-cylinder compressor with the respective evaporators of a multiple effect refrigeration system.

It is an additional object of my invention to provide a novel compressor construction and a novel construction of liners adapted to be associated with the compressorsuch that skirts provided on the liners will predetermine which evaporator ofthe multiple effect system will be disposed in operative relation with the individual cylinders of the compressor. The compressor is so constructed that each liner may later be removed and a diiferent liner substituted.

The substitution of liners in a multi-cylinder compressor is utilized to vary the eifective compression stroke of the piston in individual cylinders thereof and to vary the operative relation of individual cylinders relative to the evaporators of a multiple eil'ect system. Thus one compressor may be adapted for use in conjunction with various multiple effect refrigeration systems by adapting individual cylinders to accommodate diierent volumes of gas and by connecting individual cylinders with d ierent evaporators of the multiple eflect system thereby accommodating various temperature levels of operation. The preselection of the temperature and pressure at which each evaporator of the system will operate, which is offered by the proper combination of liners in the compressor, permits one motor compressor set to be adapted to various multiple eil'ect systems.

Further objects and advantages oi my invention reside in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed. ref- 6 Claims. (Cl. 62-115) 2 erence being had to the accompanying drawings in which;

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic showing of a multiple effect refrigeration system with which the combination of compressor and liners may be associated;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section taken through the compressor so as to pass through the center line of each cylinder;

Fig. 3 is an enlargement of one cylinder and its valve mechanism as shown in Fig. 2;

Figs. 4 through 9 are elevations of various liners adapted to be inserted in the compressor shown in Fig. 2.

Refrigerant compressors of the type to be discussed herein may be used as a component of various systems suchv as an air conditioning system or a refrigerating system where these systems employ the multiple eiect principle. These compressors are usually hermetically sealed with a constant speed induction motor which drives the compressor. The means to be described herein are adapted to vary the capacity of the compressor without varying the speed of the driving motor or varying the length of stroke of the compressor piston.

The particular multiple eiect system illustrated and described with reference to Fig. 1 is one sample of a system to which my invention might be applied. Similar problems requiring the use of multiple effect systems exist in low temperature refrigeration devices where compartments are kept at different temperatures. A multiple eiect system could be adapted to refrigerate storage compartments associated with a soda fountain in which one compartment required one temperature for freezing ice cream and a second compartment required a. different temperature for cooling water. Another application of a multiple effect system could be found in a home refrigerator having a compartment with a temperature above freezing and a freezing compartment. The system illustrated in Fig. 1 is typical of the systems to which my invention may be applied.

The Fig. l multiple -eiiect refrigeration system is diagrammatically illustrated. A compressor Ill is provided with a reciprocating piston I2, a discharge valve I4, a suction valve' I 6, and supplemental suction ports I8 which are positioned in the walls of the compressor cylinder at a location between the limits of piston travel. Liners to be described herein form the walls of the compressor cylinder. Discharge valve I4 of the compressor I0 is connected by a pipe 2l! with the condenser coil 22. A pipe 2 provides a fluid flow connection from the condenser 22 to the evaporator 26 for the passage cf liquid refrigerant. A branch line 28 which is connected to the pipe 24 operatively connects the condenser 22 to a second evaporator 38. The two separate evaporators 28 and 88 operate at different temperatures and pressures from the one compressor I8. If this system is incorporated in a room air conditioner, for example, the evaporator 38 could be adapted to cool fresh outside air while the evaporator 26 could be adapted to cool recirculated room air. The outside air is usually at a higher temperature than the cooled room air and. therefore; the operating temperature of the evaporator 88 would preferably be at a higher temperature than the evaporator 26. A suction line 32 from evaporator 38 is connected with the suction ports I8 of compressor |8. A suction line 84 from evaporator 26 is connected with the suction valve I6 of the compressor I8. The admission of refrigerant to evaporator 38 is controlled by the expansion valve 36 operated by a differential pressure controlled valve 38 which is responsive to a heat sensitive bulb 48. 'Ihe admission of refrigerant to the evaporator 26 is through an expansion valve 42 operated by a diaphragm motor 44 controlled by a heat sensitive bulb 46 attached to the pipe 34.

In Fig. 2, a sectional view of a compressor is illustrated. The compressor illustrated is of the radial six cylinder type. A cast housing 58 has radial portions 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, and 62, which are each adapted to have associated therewith cylindrical liners and pistons and valve mechanism. Fig. 3 illustrates the construction of one radial portion in greater detail. A crankshaft 64 is rotatably mounted in the housing 58 and adapted to be driven by a motor means such as an induction type electric motor (not shown). A plurality of piston rods 66 are rotatably mounted on the eccentric portion of the crankshaft 64 and are retained on this eccentric portion by a cap 68 and lock nut 18, respectively. A suction manifold 12 is integrally cast in the housing 58 and operatively connected by passage 14 to an orifice 16 which may be operatively connected to line 34 of Fig. 1. Line 34 and orifice 16 are connected to the low temperature evaporator 26. A suction manifold 18 is integrally cast in the housing 58 and operatively connected by passage 8| to an orifice 83 which may be operatively connected to line 32 of Fig. 1. Line 32 is connected to the high temperature evaporator 38.

The compressor discharges gaseous refrigerant under high pressure from cach radial portion to a discharge pipe 18. Each discharge pipe 18 is connected to a manifold 88 which is connected to line 28 of Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 3, the construction of a typical radial portion of the housing 58 is illustrated.

, The radial portion 58 has been arbitrarily chosen for illustration in Fig. 3. A removable cap 82 is secured to the radial portion 58 of housing 58. A removable cylindrical liner 84 may be inserted into the radial portion 54 by removal of cap 82. An opening 86 is provided in the housing 58 which is adapted to receive the lower portion of the liner 84'. A piston 88 is operatively associated with the outer end of each piston rod 66. The pistons 88 are each adapted for reciprocation in one of the liners 84. An intake valve 88 in the form of a flexible annular ring is positioned concentrically of the outer portion of the liner 84. A valve seat flange 82 formed on the liner rests upon an annular shoulder 84 provided within radial portion 68 of housing 58. The valve seat flange 82 is provided with a plurality of passages 86 extending therethrough. The intake valve 88 is adapted to restrict the passage of refrigerant through the openings 86. The intake valve 88 rests upon the valve seat flange 82 which is recessed for its reception so that the valve may move axially. A ring 88 rests upon the flange 82 of liner 84 and suitable springs |88 are provided in ring 88 to yieldably urge suction valve into position to restrict passages 86. The ring 88 is provided with a. centralopening |82 which is aligned with the interior of the liner 84. A discharge valve |84 is positioned across the opening |82 and seated on the ring 88. Springs urge `it to its closed position. Valve |84 is adapted to be moved oil of its seat on ring 88 to expose the opening |82 to a chamber |86 in the radial portion 58 of housingk 58. Chamber |86 is operatively connected to discharge pipe 18 and manifold 88.

On the suction stroke of the piston 88 expanded refrigerant gas from evaporator 26 enters the orifice 16 and passes through passage 14 and manifold 12. The gas then passes through the suction valve 88 which is lifted from its seat against the force of springs |88 when a pressure differential is created by the retraction of piston 88. On the compression stroke the greater internal pressure with the aid of springs |88 seats valve 88 thus closing off passages 86. Discharge valve |84 is raised from its seat on ring 88 against the force of springs |85. The compressed gas flows from the chamber |86 through the pipe 18 and the manifold 88 from whence it may be transported to the condenser 22. As soon as the piston commences to retract, the differential of pressure between chamber |86 and the interior of the liner aided by springs |85 causes valve |84 to be seated and suction to be re-established through passages 96.

` In order that any entrained globules of liquified refrigerant or oil may be dispersed, a mechanical relief valve is provided. A member |88 is bolted to the ring 88, the springs |85 previously referred to are positioned in the recesses in the member |88. The assembly comprising member |88 and ring 88 is urged against the valve seat flange 82 by a spring |I8 bearing against cap 82. The spring II8 is of sufi'icient strength to keep the valve assembly seated but is designed to permit relief against accidental over-pressure.

Liner 86 illustrated in Fig. 2 is provided with a plurality of ports I8 in the side wall of the liner. Figs. 4, 6, and 8 illustrate isolated liners which are similar with the exception that the axial spacing of the ports I8 is varied. In Fig. 4 the ports II2 have been omitted. In Fig. 8 the ports have been located so that they are not uncovered until the piston is near the end of its suction stroke. In Fig. 6 the ports have been Alocated so that they are uncovered when part of the suction stroke has been completed. By removing the cap 82 and substituting a different liner which has the ports I8 positioned at a diferent location the volumetric capacity of an individual cylinder may be radically changed. As an illustration of this variationin capacity consider that the liner of Fig. 6 is positioned in operative relation with the piston 88 of Fig. 2. Gas will enter the liner on the suction stroke of the piston through the valve 88 until ports I8 are uncovered by the piston at which time higher pressure gas entering through ports I8 from aurais@ manifold 19 effectively closes valve 80. Upon continued motion of the piston gas from manifold continues to enter the cylinder through the ports I8. However,4 no compression will be effected until the ports I8 are closed on the compression stroke of the piston by the ports themselves being covered by the piston. Thus, a minimum volume of refrigerant is compressed with this liner. A maximum volume of refrigerant may be compressed by using the liner of Fig. 4, which permits the entire stroke of the piston to be utilized to compress gas. An intermediate volume of refrigerant `may be compressed by using the liner of Fig. 8.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, one multi-cylinder compressor may have its total capacity predetermined by the selection of liners incorporated therein. The liners inserted in the individual radial portions of the housing may be of the same type or if desired different liners may be used in association with dierent radial portions to produce a desired total capacity for the compressor.

The same compressor housing, crankshaft and piston components may be used with different liners to produce compressors of radically different capacity. The capacity is determined by the selection of liners. Thus, the provision of one housing, crankshaft and piston assembly and a set of liners havingdifferent porting therein provides a selection of compressor capacity predetermined 'by the selection of liners to be assembled in the housing.

In addition to the variations in porting, liners may be provided with skirts which will cooperate with the manifolds 12 and 19 of the compressor housing to predetermine which evaporator or evaporators in the system will be operatively associatedwith each individual cylinder of the compressor. Each liner is provided with a frustoconical skirt |20. The skirt is of frusto-conical shape having the smaller end thereof secured to the liner as by welding or any other suitable means. The widest portion of the skirt is preferably provided with a groove |22 adapted to receive a ring-like sealing element |24. The housing 50 of the compressor is provided with a partition |26 which separates the suction manifolds 12 and 19. A plurality of large openings or passages |28 are provided in the partition |26. Each opening |28 circumscribes a liner. The ring-like sealing element |24 is adapted to contact lthe walls of the opening |28 and complete the separation of manifolds 12 and 19. The skirt |20 may be assembled with the liner so that the small portion of the skirt is adjacent the valve end of the liner or the skirt may be inverted so that the small portion of the skirt is welded to the liner adjacent the opposite end thereof. Figs. 4, 6, and 8 illustrate the former y construction and Figs. 5, '7, and 9 illustrate the latter construction. The position of the skirt determines to which manifold the ports in the liner will be exposed and since the manifolds are sassociated with different evaporators the preselection of the liners to be assembled with each piston will predetermine which cylinders are operatively associated with each evaporator. Where the operating requirements of pressure and temperature in a given installation are changed or where it is desired to use one compressor in a different installation, a conversion of the capacity of the compressor relative to each portion of the multiple effect system may readily be effected by interchanging liners in the compressor housing. This interchange of liners will permit the pre-selection of the number of cylinders to be operatively associated with each evaporator and permit a preselection of the effective compression stroke of each piston. Thus the combination of interchangeable liners with a compressor housing adapted to receive them and the proper selection of ports and skirts for the liners provides a unique versatility of the compressor so that it may be adapted to the various requirements of different multiple effect systems. The temperatures and pressures at which each evaporator in the multiple effect system will operate may thus be predetermined with an accuracy not heretofore possible.

I claim:

1. A refrigerant compressor apparatus comprising a housing, a plurality of pistons, driving means to reciprocate said pistons, a plurality of cylindrical liners assembled in said housing, one of said liners being assembled in operative relationship with each of said pistons and receiving said piston for reciprocation therein, said housing having a pair of chambers formed therein which are adapted to serve as first and second refrigerant inlet passages respectively and means associated with said housing and forming a discharge passage for refrigerant, a refrigerant inlet valve for each of said liners in fluid flow communication with said flrst inlet passage, a refrigerant discharge valve to control the discharge of refrigerant from each of said liners, some of said liners being provided with a port in the wall thereof operatively connecting the interior of said liner with one of said refrigerant inlet passages during a portion of the stroke of the associated piston and a skirt circumscribing each of said liners and cooperating with said housing to limit the fluid flow communication of each liner's port to one of said inlet passages.

2. A multi-cylinder refrigerant compressor adapted for use in a multiple effect refrigeration system having first and second evaporators; said compressor including a housing provided with a plurality of operating cylinders and having first and second refrigerant inlet passageways formed therein for connection to said rst and second evaporators respectively, a piston positioned for reciprocation in each of said cylinders, means to reciprocate said pistons, said housing being provided with means forming refrigerant discharge passages and some of said cylinders having inlet means connecting said last-mentioned cylinders with both of said inlet passageways and other of said cylinders having inlet means connecting said other cylinders to only one of said inlet passageways.

3. A multi-cylinder refrigerant compressor adapted for use in a multiple effect refrigeration system having first and second evaporators, said compressor including a housing having a pair of chambers therein for communication respectively with said evaporators, a plurality of cylindrical liners having ports therein assembled in said housing, said housing having means defining a plurality of passages each of which circumscribe one of said liners and provide a fluid flow communication between said chambers and said ports, a piston mounted for reciprocation in each of said liners and a frusta-conical skirt carried on the outside of each of said liners and extending to a portion of said housing adjacent the associated passage to restrict the fluid flow communication of the ports of the respective liners 15 to one of said chambers.

with said liner in either of two positions thereby to selectively define either of two potential passageways to said ports.

5. A refrigerant compressor apparatus comprising a housing, a plurality of pistons, driving means to reciprocate said pistons, a plurality of cylindrical liners assembled in said housing. one

of said liners being assembled in operative relationship with each of said pistons and receiving said piston for reciprocation therein, said housing having a pair of chambers formed therein which are adapted to serve as flrst and second refrigerant inlet passages respectively, said housing having means defining a plurality of passages each of which circumscribe one of said liners and provide a fluid flow communication between said inlet passages and said ports, means associated with said housing and forming a discharge passage for refrigerant. a refrigerant inlet valve for each of said liners in fluid flow communication with said first inlet passage, a refrigerant discharge valve to control the discharge of refrigerant from each of said liners, a first one of said liners being provided with a port at a first axial location in the wall thereof, a second one of said liners being provided with a port at a second axial location in the wall thereof and a frustoconical skirt circumscribing each of said liners and extending into contact with a portion of said housing adjacent the passage associated with that liner to limit the fluid flow communication of each liners port to one of said inlet passages.

6. A refrigerant compressor adapted for use in a multiple efect refrigerating system having a low pressure evaporator and a. high pressure evaporator; said compressor comprising a housing, a

plurality of cylindrical liners having ports in the side walls thereof assembled in said housing, a

' piston mounted for reciprocation in each of said liners, means to reciprocate said pistons, said housing having a pair of chambers therein which are adapted to serve as a first refrigerant inlet passage adapted to be operatively connected to said low pressure evaporator and a second refrigerant inlet passage adapted to be operatively connected to said high pressure evaporator. said housing also being provided with means forming a refrigerant discharge passage, a refrigerant inlet valve'operatively associated with each of said cylinders in fluid flow communication with said first inlet passage, skirt means associated with some of said liners and cooperating with said housing to provide a fluid flow communication between the ports of these liners and said first inlet passage and similar skirt means associated with other of said liners and cooperating with said housing to provide a fluid flow communication between the ports of the last-mentioned liners and said second inlet passage.

ROBERT L. JONES. JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record ln the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,144,437 Shimpf June 29, 1915 1,272,651 Foster July 16, 1918 1,437,184 Kelly T Nov. 28, 1922 1,487,770 Tuttle Mar. 25, 1924 1,614,851 Prestage Jan. 18, 1927 1,804,604 Gilbert May 12, 1931 1,878,326 Ricardo Sept. 20, 1932 2,113,691 Heller Apr. 12, 1938 2,127,991 Candor Aug. 23, 1938 2,146,796 Dasher Feb. 14, 1939 2,158,542 Hill et al May 16, 1939 2,304,999 Gonzalez Dec. 15, 1942 

